Self-lifting/lowering transport container

ABSTRACT

A self-lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention includes: a container body ( 10 ); and at least two supporting members ( 23 ) arranged at opposite sides of the container body and configured to be extendable to lift the container body and to be contractible to lower the container body substantially along a vertical direction of the container body.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is based on and claims priority benefit from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-257981, filed, Sep. 6, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a transport container used when cargos are transported by utilizing a ship, a train, a trailer, a truck or the like for example.

BACKGROUND ART

At the present day, a container for transportation, which is standardized in a certain size, is utilized to comprehensively transport a large amount of cargos.

Such a transport container includes a rectangular-solid container body for storing the cargos as an object to be transported. The container body is transported by being loaded on a ship, a train, a trailer, a truck or the like (for reference, see JP2004-161318A).

In the transport container, however, a crane, a forklift or the like is used to unload the container body from the ship, the train, the trailer, the truck, etc., when the container body is to be unloaded therefrom.

The crane, the forklift or the like is also used when the transport container is to be installed at a final delivery destination after the transport container is delivered by the trailer, the truck or the like to the final delivery destination.

Hence, the crane, the forklift or the like is essential when unloading and installing the container body. The use of the crane and so on is troublesome, and thus a problem occurs that operating efficiency is decreased.

In addition, the size of the transport container has been virtually unified by standards. Accordingly, it is also necessary that a size of the container body complies with such standards.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and therefore, at least one objective of the present invention is to provide a transport container capable of increasing operating efficiency in loading and unloading of a container body by allowing the loading and unloading of the container body to be easily performed, and which complies with required standards as well.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a self-lifting/lowering transport container, comprising: a container body; and at least two supporting members arranged at opposite sides of the container body and configured to be extendable to lift the container body and to be contractible to lower the container body substantially along a vertical direction of the container body.

Following are preferred embodiments (1) to (12) of the self lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention. Any combinations thereof may be considered to be preferred ones of the present invention unless any contradictions occur.

(1) The self-lifting/lowering transport container further comprises storage depressions provided in opposite side surfaces of the container body and extending substantially along the vertical direction of the container body for storing the supporting members, respectively, when the supporting members are contracted. (2) Each of the supporting members is configured to be protrudable from and retractable into the storage depression, wherein each of the supporting members is retracted into the storage depression such that each of the supporting members does not protrude outside from an outer contour of the container body in both of a horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the container body in a stored state, and wherein each of the supporting members is protruded outside from the storage depression to a position more outward than the container body in the horizontal direction of the container body, and extends to lift the container body or contracts to lower the container body substantially along the vertical direction of the container body in a protruded state. (3) Each of the storage depressions is provided near a pillar portion arranged in corners of the container body. (4) Each of the supporting members is configured to be extendable and contractible substantially in the vertical direction of the container body by manual operation or hydraulic pressure. (5) A shape of the container body is substantially a rectangular solid. (6) The self-lifting/lowering transport container further comprises: a protruding/retracting unit coupled to each of the supporting members and configured to protrude each of the supporting members outside from the storage depression to the position more outward than the container body and to retract each of the supporting members to a position in the storage depression more inward than the container body. (7) The protruding/retracting unit has overall length that each of the supporting members fits within the storage depression when each of the supporting members is retracted into the storage depression to shift to the stored state. (8) The protruding/retracting unit includes at least one opening for inserting a fixing element to fix the protruding/retracting unit. (9) The protruding/retracting unit comprises: a hollow outer beam fixed to the container body and having an opening on at least one of both ends of the outer beam; and an inner beam inserted from the opened end of the outer beam provided slide-ably in the outer beam along an axial direction of the outer beam, wherein each of the supporting members is fixed to one of both ends of the inner beam. (10) Overall length of each of the supporting members is shorter than height of the storage depression when each of the supporting members contracts completely, such that each of the supporting members fits within the storage depression when each of the supporting members is retracted into the storage depression to shift to the stored state. (11) Each of the supporting members includes at least one opening for inserting a fixing element to fix the supporting member. (12) Each of the supporting members comprises: an outer post provided substantially along the vertical direction of the container body; an inner post slide-ably inserted into the outer post along the vertical direction; and a hydraulic cylinder attached to at least one of the outer post and the inner post.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the self-lifting/lowering transport container of the present invention at least has the following advantages:

1. Each of the supporting members arranged at the sides of the container body loaded on a truck bed (placing portion) of a truck is configured to be extendable to lift the container body and contractible to lower the container body. Alternatively, each of the supporting members is extended in the state that each of the supporting members is protruded from the storage depression provided in the side surfaces of the container body loaded, for example, on the truck bed (placing portion) of the truck. By the extended supporting members, it is possible to support the container body with a state that the container body is lifted or suspended from the truck bed of the truck for example.

When the truck is moved in the state that the container body is supported by the supporting members, only the container body remains on-site, and thereby the truck and the container body are separated from each other. Hence, easy unloading of the container body from, for example, the truck is achieved by contracting the supporting members.

In addition, when loading the container body on the truck for example, each of the supporting members is protruded from the storage depression beforehand, and each of the supporting members is extended such that a bottom surface of the container body becomes higher than the truck bed of the truck. Subsequently, the truck for example is moved so that the truck bed of the truck is positioned below the container body. Each of the supporting members is then contracted, and thereafter each of the supporting members is stored in the storage depression. Thereby, it is possible to place the container body on the truck bed of the truck for example and to load the container body easily.

Therefore, it is possible to unload or load the container body from or onto, for example, the truck easily without using a crane, a forklift or the like, so that efficient unloading and loading operations are accomplished.

Moreover, each of the supporting members is retracted into the corresponding storage depression such that the supporting members do not protrude outside from the outer contour in both of the horizontal and the vertical directions thereof when the supporting members are stored in the storage depressions. In other words, each of the supporting members is positioned more inward than the container body in both of the horizontal and the vertical directions thereof when the supporting members are stored in the storage depressions. Therefore, it is possible to fit a size of the container body within a size standardized by transport container standards, and to comply with such standards.

2. A load applied to each of the supporting members can be sustained by the pillar portion provided in the corners of the container body. Therefore, it is possible to perform secure unloading/loading and installation of the container body.

3. The extension and contraction operations of the supporting members can be performed manually or by the hydraulic pressure. Large-scale facilities become unnecessary when the supporting members are operated manually, so that it is possible to reduce costs, whereas it is possible to extend and contract the supporting members easily with light force when the extension and contraction operations of the supporting members are performed by the hydraulic pressure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an entire self-lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of an “A” part shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of an essential part of the self-lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention wherein a part of the transport container is ruptured to show the essential part.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which jack devices shown in FIG. 3 are protruded.

FIG. 5 is a rear view showing the state in which the jack devices of the self-lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention are protruded.

FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C schematically show the self-lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention and a truck, respectively, wherein FIG. 6A is a view schematically showing a state in which the self-lifting/lowering transport container is placed on the truck, FIG. 6B is a view schematically showing a state in which the self-lifting/lowering transport container is set apart from the truck and supported by the jack devices, and FIG. 6C is a view schematically showing a state in which the truck separated from the self-lifting/lowering transport container is moved forward.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a state that the self-lifting/lowering transport container of FIG. 6A is seen from behind of the truck.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a state wherein the jack devices are drawn out from a container body when the self-lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention is placed on the truck.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a state that the self-lifting/lowering transport container of FIG. 6B is seen from behind of the truck.

FIG. 10 is a rear view showing a state wherein the self-lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention is unloaded from the truck and placed on the ground.

DESCRIPTION OF NUMERALS

-   1 Self-lifting/lowering transport container -   10 Container body -   13 a Longitudinal side wall portion (side wall in a longitudinal     direction of the container body) -   17 Storage depressed portion (storage depression) -   23 Jack device (supporting member)

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of a self-lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. The scope of the present invention, however, is not limited to these embodiments. Within the scope of the present invention, any structure and material described below can be appropriately modified.

Referring to FIG. 1, the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 includes a container body 10. A shape of the container body 10 according to the present embodiment is a rectangular-solid, although the shape of the container body 10 is not limited thereto.

The container body 10 comprises: a pillar portion 11 erected in at least one of corners of the container body 10 (the pillar portion 11 is provided in four corners of the container body 10 in the present embodiment shown in the drawings); a base frame portion 12 for coupling lower ends of the adjacent pillar portions 11; a side wall portion 13 stretchedly provided between the adjacent pillar portions 11 and on the base frame portion 12 positioned underneath thereof; an upper wall portion 14 for covering an upper end of each of the pillar portions 11; and a lower wall portion (not shown) for covering the lower end of each of the pillar portions 11 as well as a bottom surface of the base frame portion 12.

The side wall portion 13 is structured by a pair of longitudinal side wall portions 13 a (sidewalls in a longitudinal direction of the container body 10) and a pair of short side wall portions 13 b (side walls in a short-side direction of the container body 10, i.e. the side walls in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the container body 10). Each of the side wall portions 13 a and 13 b are stretchedly arranged at positions where they oppose to each other.

One of the short side wall portions 13 b is provided with a freely openable and closable door portion 15 which is in, for example but not limited to, double-door-configuration. The door portion 15 includes a locking member 16. The door portion 15 is preferably fixed by the locking member 16 when the door portion 15 is closed, such that the door portion 15 does not open in a closed state. In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of locking members 16 may be provided to the door portion 15 as shown in the drawings.

Each end of the pair of longitudinal side wall portions 13 a is formed with a storage depressed portion (storage depression) 17 which extends in a vertical direction (upper and lower directions) of the container body 10. The storage depressed portion 17 is formed in the both ends of the pair of respective longitudinal side wall portions 13 a, so that each of the storage depressed portions 17 is located near the pillar portion 11 erected at each corner of the container body 10, and formed along the pillar portion 11.

Referring to FIG. 3, each of the storage depressed portions 17 is formed in the longitudinal side wall portion 13 a in such a manner that the longitudinal side wall portion 13 a is depressed inwardly of the container body 10. The storage depressed portion 17 is formed in a size that a jack device 23, which will be described later, will not protrude from or stick out of the container body 10 when the jack device 23 is stored in the storage depressed portion 17.

The jack device 23 as a supporting member according to the present embodiment is provided freely protrusible and retractable in each of the storage depressed portions 17 through a protruding/retracting unit.

As shown in FIG. 3, the protruding/retracting unit comprises an outer beam 21 fixed along the short-side direction of the container body 10, and inner beams 22 which are inserted freely slide-ably in the outer beam 21 along an axial direction of the outer beam 21.

The jack device 23 is fixed to one end of the inner beam 22, and is suspended in the vertical direction of the container body 10.

Each of the outer beams 21 is a hollow, square-shaped steel pipe for example in which both ends thereof are opened. Each outer beam 21 is fixed to one of the pair of base frame portions 12 of the short-side direction through not-shown fixing member.

Each side surface of the both ends of each of the outer beams 21 is fixed with ends of the base frame portion 12 of the longitudinal direction in such a manner that the side surface and the ends are substantially perpendicular to each other, so that each of the outer beams 21 is located between the pillar portion 11 and the longitudinal base frame portion 12.

Each of the inner beams 22 is a hollow, square-shaped steel pipe for example in which one end of the inner beam 22 is closed by a fixed plate 22 c. The inner beam 22 is inserted from the opened end of the outer beam 21 with the other end of the inner beam 22 (the opened other end of the inner beam 22 which is not closed or covered by the fixed plate 22 c) being a head of the insertion, to be freely protrusible and retractable. The fixed plate 22 c prevents the inner beam 22 from entering or retracting completely inside of the outer beam 21 by contacting with a periphery of the opening of the end of the outer beam 21.

The pair of inner beams 22 is inserted into the outer beam 21 from both ends of the outer beams 21 in such a manner that the inner beams 22 are separated away and approach toward each other. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 4, the respective inner beams 22 are adapted to protrude outwardly from the pair of longitudinal side wall portions 13 a of the container body 10.

An upper surface of the outer beam 21 is formed with a pin-insertion opening 21 a (two openings 21 a are shown in the drawings) for inserting a not-shown fixing pin (fixing element) for fixing of the inner beam 22. An upper surface of each of the inner beams 22 is formed with a first pin-insertion opening 22 a which opposes to the pin-insertion opening 21 a when the inner beam 22 is retracted, and a second pin-insertion opening 22 b which opposes to the pin-insertion opening 21 a when the inner beam 22 is protruded (as shown in FIG. 3).

Accordingly, the pin-insertion opening 21 a and the first pin-insertion opening 22 a are opposed to each other when the inner beam 22 is retracted (see FIG. 3), so that the inner beam 22 is fixed by inserting the not-shown beam-fixing pin into the pin-insertion opening 21 a through the first pin-insertion opening 22 a.

Also, the pin-insertion opening 21 a and the second pin-insertion opening 22 b are opposed to each other when the inner beam 22 is protruded (see FIG. 4). Therefore, the inner beam 22 is adapted to be fixed when the not-shown beam-fixing pin is inserted into the pin-insertion opening 21 a through the second pin-insertion opening 22 b.

The work operation for retracting and protruding the inner beam 22 is, for example, performed by a worker by holding the jack device 23 fixed to one end of the inner beam 22 to press the inner beam 22 into the outer beam 21 for retraction, and holding the jack device 23 to pull the inner beam 22 out of the outer beam 21 for protrusion.

The overall length of the outer beam 21 is shorter than that of the base frame portion 12 of the short-side direction (see FIG. 3), so that the outer beam 21 has the length sufficient to fit the both ends of the outer beam 21 within the storage depressed portion 17. Thereby, the jack device 23 fixed to one end of the inner beam 22 is allowed to fit within the storage depressed portion 17 when the inner beam 22 is retracted into the outer beam 21. Hence, the jack device 23 is positioned more inward than the container body 10 in a horizontal direction of the container body 10 when the jack device 23 is stored in the storage depressed portion 17.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 3, the jack device 23 is freely protrusible from and retractable into the storage depressed portion 17 of the container body 10 in accordance with the protrusion and retraction of the inner beam 22 from/into the outer beam 21.

Each of the jack devices 23 includes an outer post 24 fixed along the vertical direction of the container body 10, an inner post 25 freely slide-ably inserted into the outer post 24 along the vertical direction, and a hydraulic cylinder 26 attached to one or both of the outer post 24 and the inner post 25 (in the present embodiment, the hydraulic cylinder 26 is attached to both of the outer post 24 and the inner post 25).

The overall length of the jack device 23 is shorter than the height of the storage depressed portion 17 when the inner post 25 is retracted completely into the outer post 24 and the length of the jack device 23 is thus in the shortest state. Accordingly, the jack device 23 fixed to one end of the inner beam 22 fits within the storage depressed portion 17 when the inner beam 22 is retracted into the outer beam 21. Therefore, the jack device 23 is positioned more inward than the container body 10 in the vertical direction of the container body 10 when the jack device 23 is stored in the storage depressed portion 17.

The outer post 24 is a hollow, square-shaped steel pipe for example in which a lower end thereof is opened. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the lower end of the outer post 24 is fixed through brackets 24 b to the fixed plate 22 c attached with the leading end of the inner beam 22. A plurality of reference signs “B” in the drawings represents a bolt and a nut for fixing each of the brackets 24 b to the fixed plate 22 c.

The inner post 25 is for example in a hollow, square-shaped steel pipe in which a lower end of the inner post 25 is opened. The lower end of the inner post 25 is provided with a ground-contacting leg 27. The inner post 25 is inserted from the opened lower end of the outer post 24 with an upper end of the inner post 25 being a head of the insertion, to be freely protrusible and retractable. The ground-contacting leg 27 contacts with a periphery of the opening of the lower end of the outer post 24 such that the inner post 25 does not enter or retract completely inside of the outer post 24.

One side surface of the outer post 24 is formed with a pin-insertion opening 24 a for inserting a not-shown fixing pin (fixing element) for fixing of the inner post 25. One side surface of the inner post 25 is formed with a first pin-insertion opening 25 a which opposes to the pin-insertion opening 24 a when the inner post 25 is retracted, and a second pin-insertion opening 25 b which opposes to the pin-insertion opening 24 a when the inner post 25 is protruded (as shown in FIG. 2).

Accordingly, the pin-insertion opening 24 a and the first pin-insertion opening 25 a are opposed to each other when the inner post 25 is retracted (see FIG. 2). Hence, the inner post 25 is fixed when the not-shown post-fixing pin is inserted into the pin-insertion opening 24 a through the first pin-insertion opening 25 a.

Also, although not shown in the drawings, the pin-insertion opening 24 a and the second pin-insertion opening 25 b are opposed to each other when the inner post 25 is protruded, and hence, the inner post 25 is fixed when the not-shown post-fixing pin is inserted into the pin-insertion opening 24 a through the second pin-insertion opening 25 b.

The hydraulic cylinder 26 includes a pair of cylindrical bodies. One of the cylindrical bodies is inserted into the other of the cylindrical bodies in such a manner as to be freely inserted therein and retracted therefrom to extend (elongate) and contract the hydraulic cylinder 26. The overall length of the hydraulic cylinder 26 is adjusted according to an amount of oil injected between the pair of cylindrical bodies and its temperature for example. In one embodiment of the invention, one of the cylindrical bodies is fixed to an inner surface of the outer post 24, whereas the other of the cylindrical bodies is fixed to an inner surface of the inner post 25. Here, since a mechanism of the hydraulic cylinder 26 is well-known, the mechanism of the hydraulic cylinder 26 will not be described in detail.

Now, the operation of the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 according to the present invention structured as described above will be described hereinafter.

In a case of unloading the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 from a truck bed N of a truck T to install the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 at a predetermined place, the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 is at first transferred from a conveyance such as a ship to the truck T by using a crane for example, and thereafter the container body 10 of the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 is fixed on the truck bed (placing portion) N of the truck T (see FIG. 6A and FIG. 7).

At this time, each of the inner posts 25 is in the state of being completely retracted in the outer post 24 (post-retracted state), and thereby, the overall length of each of the jack devices 23 is in the shortest state. The not-shown post-fixing pin is inserted into the pin-insertion opening 24 a and the first pin-insertion opening 25 a to fix the inner post 25.

Each of the inner beams 22 is also in the state of being completely retracted in the outer beam 21 (beam-retracted state), and accordingly the jack device 23 is stored inside of the storage depressed portion 17. The not-shown beam-fixing pin is similarly inserted into the pin-insertion opening 21 a and the first pin-insertion opening 22 a to fix the inner beam 22.

Thus, the jack device 23 is stored in the storage depressed portion 17 when the inner post 25 and the inner beam 22 are respectively in the completely retracted state, so that the jack device 23 is positioned inwardly of the container body 10 in both the horizontal and vertical directions. In other words, each of the jack devices 23 is retracted into the storage depressed portion 17 such that each of the jack devices 23 does not protrude outside from an outer contour of the container body 10 in both of the horizontal direction and vertical direction of the container body 10.

Therefore, it is possible to fit the size of the container body 10 of the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 within standards of a transport container 1, and thereby to comply with such standards. It is accordingly possible to increase versatility, and that the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 according to the present invention is possible to be used with other transport containers in general.

Then, when the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1, placed on the truck bed N of the truck T, is moved to the predetermined installation place of the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 by the truck T, each of the not-shown beam-fixing pins is removed to protrude all of the inner beams 22 from the outer beams 21. At this time, the worker, for example, holds the jack device 23 fixed to the inner beam 22 to pull out the inner beam 22 from the outer beam 21 horizontally as shown in FIG. 8.

When each of the inner beams 22 is protruded to the position where the pin-insertion opening 21 a of the outer beam 21 and the second pin-insertion opening 22 b of the inner beam 22 are opposed to each other, the not-shown beam-fixing pin is inserted into those pin-insertion openings 21 a, 22 b to fix the inner beam 22.

Hence, each of the jack devices 23 is protruded from the storage depressed portion 17 by pulling the inner beam 22 out of the outer beam 21. Thereby, the jack devices 23 are located more outward than the container body 10 in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 8.

It is to be noted here that the width in the short-side direction of the truck bed N of the truck T, on which the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 is placed, is substantially same as the width in the short-side direction of the container body 10. Consequently, the jack devices 23 are positioned more outward than the container body 10 in the horizontal direction, and at the same time, they are also positioned more outward than the truck bed N of the truck T in the horizontal direction.

Thereafter, the hydraulic cylinders 26 are connected to a not-illustrated hydraulic device to inject the oil into each of the hydraulic cylinders 26 from the hydraulic device. Thereby, the hydraulic cylinders 26 are extended. In one embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic cylinders 26 are driven simultaneously, or individually driven by the hydraulic device, in a selective manner.

By the extension of the hydraulic cylinders 26, the inner posts 25 are protruded downwardly toward the ground G, i.e. the jack devices 23 extend downwardly.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6B and FIG. 9, the hydraulic cylinders 26 are extended until the ground-contacting legs 27 of each of the inner posts 25 contact with the ground G and the lower wall portion (not shown) of the container body 10 is thereby separated away from the truck bed N of the truck T.

Subsequently, when the respective pin-insertion openings 24 a of the outer posts 24 and the second pin-insertion openings 25 b of the inner posts 25 are opposed to each other, the not-shown post-fixing pin is inserted into each of the pin-insertion openings 24 a, 25 b to fix the inner posts 25.

Accordingly, the container body 10 is supported by the jack devices 23 with a state that the container body 10 is lifted or suspended from the truck bed N of the truck T.

Thereafter, the truck T is moved forward when the container body 10 is in the state that the container body 10 is supported by the jack devices 23. By moving the truck T, only the container body 10 thus remains on-site as shown in FIG. 6C.

The not-shown post-fixing pins are then removed from the pin-insertion openings 24 a, 25 b, and the oil within the hydraulic cylinders 26 are discharged to contract the hydraulic cylinders 26. In accordance with the contraction of the hydraulic cylinders 26, all of the inner posts 25 are retracted into the respective outer posts 24 to contract the jack devices 23. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 10, the not-shown lower wall portion of the container body 10 is installed on the ground G.

Finally, the not-shown beam-fixing pins are removed from the pin-insertion openings 21 a, 22 b to retract the inner beams 22 into each of the outer beams 21 in such a manner as to press each of the jack devices 23 inwardly of the container body 10, in order to store the jack devices 23 inside of the storage depressed portions 17.

It is therefore possible to lower the container body 10 from the truck bed N of the truck T and to install the container body 10 at the predetermined place, without using the crane, forklift or the like. Hence, it is possible to easily unload the container body 10 from the truck T or the like.

On the other hand, when the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 installed at the predetermined place is to be loaded, for example, on the truck bed N of the truck T, the jack devices 23 are protruded more outwardly than the container body 10 according to the procedure described above, and the jack devices 23 are extended.

At this time, each of the jack devices 23 is extended such that a base wall surface or the lower wall portion of the container body 10 becomes higher than the truck bed N of the truck T.

Subsequently, the truck T is moved so that the truck bed N of the truck T is positioned below the container body 10 supported by the jack devices 23. In other words, the not-shown lower wall portion of the container body 10 and the truck bed N are made to oppose each other.

Then, each of the jack devices 23 are contracted according to the procedure described above to place the not-shown lower wall portion of the container body 10 on the truck bed N of the trailer T. Thereafter, the jack devices 23 are stored inside of the storage depressed portions 17, and finally, the container body 10 is fixed onto the truck bed N of the truck T.

Therefore, it is possible to place or load the container body 10 on the truck bed N of the truck T without using the crane, the forklift or the like. Hence, it is possible to easily load the container body 10 on the truck body N of the truck T or the like.

As described in the foregoing, it is possible to unload or load the container body 10 from or onto the truck T easily without dependent on the use of the crane, the forklift or the like, so that efficient unloading and loading operations are accomplished.

According to the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 of the present embodiment of the invention, each of the storage depressed portions 17 is formed in proximity to the pillar portion 11 provided in the four corners of the container body 10, and the jack device 23 provided in each of the storage depressed portions 17 is located in proximity to the pillar portion 11.

Thereby, a load applied to each jack device 23 can be sustained by the pillar portion 11 provided in the four corners of the container body 10. Therefore, it is possible to perform secure unloading/loading and installation of the container body 10.

Moreover, in the self-lifting/lowering transport container 1 of the present embodiment of the invention, each of the jack devices 23 is configured to extend and contract in the vertical direction by the hydraulic pressure.

Therefore, the extension and contraction operations of the jack devices 23 can be easily performed with light force. Hence, easier unloading and loading of the container body 10 is performable.

Although some exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing, obviously many changes and variations are possible therein. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specified herein without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.

For example, the jack devices 23 are configured to be extendable and contractible by the hydraulic pressure in the embodiments described above, but it is not limited thereto. The jack device 23 may be configured to extend and contract manually.

According to this embodiment, an outer circumferential surface of the inner post is formed with a thread groove, and the outer post is provided with a handle having a gear unit which engages with the thread groove.

The gear unit and the thread groove engage with each other to move the inner post in the vertical direction when the handle attached to the outer post is rotated around. Thereby, it is possible to extend and contract the jack device 23 manually.

This embodiment enables the extension and contraction operations of the jack device 23 to be carried out with a simple structure, without depending upon or requiring large-scale facilities including the hydraulic device and so on.

In addition, the protrusion and the retraction of the inner beams 22 from and into the outer beam 21 are performed manually in the embodiments described above. However, it is possible that the protrusion and the retraction of the inner beams 22 are performed by the hydraulic pressure. According to this embodiment, it is possible to protrude and retract each of the jack devices 23 from the storage depressed portion 17, easily.

Furthermore, although the storage depressed portion 17 is formed in the both ends of the pair of respective longitudinal side wall portions 13 a in the embodiments described above such that each of the storage depressed portions 17 is located near the pillar portion arranged in corners of the container body 10, the present invention is not limited thereto.

In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the jack devices 23 is arranged at opposite sides of the container body 10 and configured to be extendable to lift the container body and contractible to lower the container body 10 substantially along the vertical direction of the container body 10. According to this embodiment, the jack devices 23 may be attached to the side wall portions 13 without providing the jack devices 23 in the storage depressed portions 17. In this case, the size of the container body 10 is so set that the overall size of the container body 10 including the jack devices 23 fits within the size specified by the standards. In addition, each of the jack devices 23 is provided in the storage depressed portion 17 and is configured to be extendable to lift the container body 10 or contractible to lower the container body 10 substantially along the vertical direction without protruding outside from the storage depressed portion 17. In this case, each part of the lower wall portion below the jack devices 23 is removed so as to allow the jack devices 23 to extendable and contractible within the storage depressed portion 17.

Also, in one embodiment of the present invention, the storage depressed portion 17 is provided in the middle of each of the side wall portions 13 a and the jack device 23 is provided in each of those side wall portions 13 a to lift and lower the container body 10 by the two jack devices 23. In this embodiment, it is preferred that the sizes of the jack devices 23 including the ground-contacting legs 27 and the storage depressed portion 17 are so enlarged than the sizes of those described in the above embodiments that the container body 10 can be securely and stably supported by the two jack devices 23. A supplemental pillar portion 11 may be provided in the middle of each of the side wall portions 13 a to sustain the load applied to each of the two jack devices 23.

Note that the storage depressed portion 17 may also be provided in one of the side wall portions 13 b to which the door portion 15 is not provided, near the pillar portion 11 or in the middle of the side wall portion 13 b. In this embodiment, two storage depressed portions 17 may be provided in the side wall portions 13 a preferably near the pillar portions 11 to which the side wall portion 13 b having the door portion 15 is near, and the storage depressed portion 17 may be provided in the middle of the other side wall portion 13 b, so as to establish three-point support of the container body 10.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. It should be appreciated that variations may be made in the embodiments described by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. Moreover, no element and component in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element or component is explicitly recited in the following claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention can be used for transporting all kinds of goods and cargos for various transportation purposes utilizing a ship, a train, a trailer, a truck or the like for example.

In addition, for example, a power generator, quarters, bathing/toilet facilities, a food storage, a pump and so on may be transported for coping with the natural disasters appearing often in recent years.

In such a case, the self-lifting/lowering transport container according to the present invention makes it possible to deliver various kinds of equipments and so on and to perform the unloading and the loading of the container body without using the crane, the forklift or the like in disaster-affected areas. Therefore, the present invention is also possible to contribute to smooth and prompt rescue activities for example. 

1. A self-lifting/lowering transport container, comprising: a container body; supporting members arranged at opposite sides of the container body and configured to be extendable to lift the container body and to be contractible to lower the container body substantially along a vertical direction of the container body; a pillar portion arranged in corners of the container body; and a storage depression provided in opposite side surfaces of the container body and extending substantially along the vertical direction of the container body for storing the supporting members when the supporting members are contracted, and attached to the pillar portion such that a load applied to each of the supporting members is sustained by the pillar portion.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to claim 1, wherein each of the supporting members is configured to be protrudable from and retractable into the storage depression, wherein each of the supporting members is retracted into the storage depression such that each of the supporting members does not protrude outside from an outer contour of the container body in both of a horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the container body in a stored state, and wherein each of the supporting members is protruded outside from the storage depression to a position more outward than the container body in the horizontal direction of the container body, and extends to lift the container body or contracts to lower the container body substantially along the vertical direction of the container body in a protruded state.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to claim 1, wherein each of the supporting members is configured to be extendable and contractible substantially in the vertical direction of the container body by manual operation or hydraulic pressure.
 6. The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the container body is substantially a rectangular solid.
 7. The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to claim 3, further comprising: a protruding/retracting unit coupled to each of the supporting members and configured to protrude each of the supporting members outside from the storage depression to the position more outward than the container body and to retract each of the supporting members to a position in the storage depression more inward than the container body.
 8. The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to claim 7, wherein the protruding/retracting unit has overall length that each of the supporting members fits within the storage depression when each of the supporting members is retracted into the storage depression to shift to the stored state.
 9. The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to claim 7, wherein the protruding/retracting unit includes at least one opening for inserting a fixing element to fix the protruding/retracting unit.
 10. The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to claim 7, wherein the protruding/retracting unit comprises: a hollow outer beam fixed to the container body and having an opening on at least one of both ends of the outer beam; and an inner beam inserted from the opened end of the outer beam provided slide-ably in the outer beam along an axial direction of the outer beam, wherein each of the supporting members is fixed to one of both ends of the inner beam.
 11. The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to claim 3, wherein overall length of each of the supporting members is shorter than height of the storage depression when each of the supporting members contracts completely, such that each of the supporting members fits within the storage depression when each of the supporting members is retracted into the storage depression to shift to the stored state.
 12. The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to claim 1, wherein each of the supporting members includes at least one opening for inserting a fixing element to fix the supporting member.
 13. The self-lifting/lowering transport container according to claim 1, wherein each of the supporting members comprises: an outer post provided substantially along the vertical direction of the container body; an inner post slide-ably inserted into the outer post along the vertical direction; and a hydraulic cylinder attached to at least one of the outer post and the inner post. 